Mystical Chartres

Benedict of Nursia was a 6th century Italian monk and hermit who founded a dozen or more monasteries and the Benedictine Order. The Benedictine Order was not an “order” in the traditional sense, rather a confederation of autonomous congregations. Inspired by the mystical writings of John Cassian, a 4th century monk and theologian, Benedict wrote what has become known as the Benedictine Rule of Strict Observance. The “Rule” emphasized obedience and humility to God, labor, self-sufficiency, and simplicity. The Golden Rule of Ora et Labora is derived from the Benedictine Rule of Strict Observance of prayer and work: the monks each day devoted eight hours to prayer, eight hours to manual work, sacred reading, or charity, and eight hours to rest and refreshment. In Masonry we learn this rule as the symbolic meaning of the 24-inch gauge as a working tool. The Benedictine movement quickly became popular and spread throughout Europe, the British Isles, and into Scandinavia. As the Benedictine movement grew two of its most influential centers became Cluny and Chartres. Cluny, perhaps, had the most political influence. It became known as a place of Popes and opulence, diverging from the Benedictine Rule. By the time of Pope Urban II, who had been an Abbot at Cluny, a reformation was underway to return to the Rule of Strict Observance. This reformation was a factor in the creation of the Cistercian movement. However, Chartres is without question the most significant Benedictine center and is discussed at length.

Chartres Cathedral of Notre Dame

Chartres, located 50 miles southwest of Paris on the Eure River, has a rich history rooted in its Celtic origins as a principal Druidic center named after the Carnutes tribe. Known as Autricum during the Gallo-Roman period, it evolved into a medieval countship under various noble houses, eventually sold to King Phillip III in 1286. The region’s spiritual significance stems from the Ardennes Forest, tied to the mother goddess Aard – also known as Hathor in Egyptian mythology – whose worship dates back over 75,000 years and influenced later religious traditions, including Jewish Kabbalism. The area’s geology, featuring chalk, limestone, and granite hills with caves and grottos, hosted Neolithic dolmens and Druidic rituals in sacred oak groves and underground shrines like the Place Fort, considered the "Womb of the Earth." Chartres’ mystical reputation grew with legends of Druids anticipating the birth of Jesus, venerating a "Virgo paritura" statue, and connecting the site to the Black Madonna cult, blending ancient feminine divinity with early Christian practices.

The governance of Chartres reflects its dual spiritual and secular legacy, beginning with Charlemagne’s establishment of the first count around 835, Hardouin d’Ardenne, who separated temporal and ecclesiastical powers. This hereditary countship passed through figures like Theobald (877-904) and Eudes III (Odo II, 995-1037), linking to the Merovingians, Pepinids, and Carolingians via the d’Ardennes family, including Saint Stephen Harding. Chartres’ religious evolution saw Roman destruction of Druidic sites, followed by a Gallo-Roman temple to Prosperina and early Christian churches, culminating in a 4th-century basilica under Bishop Adventius. By the 10th century, the Cathedral School of Chartres emerged as a leading intellectual hub, influenced by scholars like Gerbert d’Aurillac (later Pope Sylvester II) and Fulbert, integrating Druidic, Jewish, and Arabic knowledge into a curriculum of liberal arts and natural philosophy. The cathedral itself, shaped by groups like the Children of Solomon and Tiron Abbey monks, embodies celestial harmonics and esoteric traditions, cementing Chartres’ role as a bridge between ancient mysticism and medieval Christianity.

Chartres Cathedral School